USA
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Europe
UK / IRE
Leading Southland trainer Nathan Williamson is look forward to the next few months and has some serious horsepower for spring and summer racing.
Star filly Captains Mistress (Captaintreacherous) will be back in the south next week.
After winning the Group One New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Three Year Old Fillies Final in Auckland, she was taken to Queensland where she achieved a winning campaign. She won three of her four starts there including the Redcliffe Oaks, and finished third in the Group One Queensland Oaks.
“She’s done a few weeks training at Grant Dixon’s, and he seems happy with her. The idea in getting her back, is so she can have a few weeks to reacclimatise. She’s got a bit of a messy week with flying so she’ll be on light duties. We’ll start to build her up after that. She probably won’ t be seen in public until October,” Williamson said.
Always Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight) was a two and three quarter length winner at Gore on Sunday where the three year old broke a track record.
“I got dragged up handy without having to do too much work and he was too good on the day.”
Always Dreaming has won two of his seven starts this time in and from eighteen career starts he’s won seven and has been placed a further seven times. Williamson says the gelding has improved since he raced at Addington in June.
“We had complications when he got gelded and that delayed his progress into the Southern Supremacy and I don’t think he was at his best for a while. He was at Regan’s (Regan Todd) for a couple of weeks and in his last run up there he showed signs he was getting back to it. He’s come home, had a bit of a break and has come back good.”
Always Dreaming will have his next start in the Ian Dobson Memorial-Johnny Globe Classic at Addington next Friday.
“We’ll see how he competes there. The Sires’s Stakes Sophomore (Addington 17th October) is the race I’ve got my eye on. That race excluded Marketplace and Got The Chocolates so it makes it a bit more advantageous. There’s probably not a lot between the horses that lie below Marketplace, Got The Chocolates and possibility Bar Louie and Rubira.”
Two year old filly Indulge Me (Downbytheseaside) impressed on debut at Gore on Sunday when running home well for second behind Lizzie Borden. Indulge Me is out of Sweet On Me, a daughter of champion mare Adore Me. Sweet On Me won six of her seven starts including the Group One Two Year Old Diamond and Group One New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Two Year Old Fillies Championship.
“She’s going to be a nice filly. Her manners were really good the other day and I was thrilled about that because she can get a little bit worked up. The long term plans are the Sire’ Stakes and she’s Caduceus Club eligible. We were thinking about taking her to Addington next Friday night. We’ll train her later in the week and get some idea with what we’re doing.”
Stable two year olds Off The Canvas (Art Major) and Palladium (Bettor’s Delight) qualified at Gore on Sunday.
Off The Canvas is out of Triple Sec, making him a full brother to Action Major the winner of four, and a half-brother to Justasec (37), Our Triple Play (17) and Brittnay Jane (17).
Palladium is out of Platinum, a three win Art Major daughter of De Lovely who won the New Zealand Oaks, Three Year Old Diamond, NZ Breeders Stakes, Queen Of Hearts, Australian Oaks and Breeders Crown.
“I like them both. I’ll take them to Addington too next Friday night for a bit of a trip away and race them in a non-winners two year old event up there.”
Trotting mare Hidden Talent (Bacardi Lindy) was a last start winner at Kurow. The six year old has won six of her ten starts this season.
“She’ll go to the Ordeal then after that we’ll decide whether she goes to the Jasmyn’s Gift (Oamaru 14th September) or straight to Banks Peninsula (DG Jones/Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup).”
From just three starts two year old trotting filly Duchess Maria (Father Patrick) is unbeaten this season. Her wins, all at Group Three level have been at Invercargill, Auckland and Addington.
“We plan to race her late in September. She’s grown a bit through the winter and still has some bulking up to do in the spring.”
Utah Jazz (Bettor’s Delight) won her first three starts as a three year old before finishing seventh in the Group Two Nevele R/Macca Lodge Southern Oaks Final.
“She’s had a wee setback. She won’t be seen until the Autumn.”
Ruby Roe (Captaintreacherous) after racing against the best three year old fillies last season, has been kept close to home. She’s won three of her six starts this season.
“She’ll go to the workouts this week. John and Katrina have still got her. She’s due back here after she trials. The mares races don’t come along until the end of September. She’ll have two or three trials which she’ll need, because she’s done really well. She should be in for a nice spring if she brings her autumn form.”
Secret Agent Man (Sweet Lou) from just seven starts over one and a half seasons of racing has won three races. He last started on Diamonds Day in April.
“He’s back hoppling. He’ll be set for some of the grade races for Cup Week. The South of the Waitaki is the one I’ve got my mind on.”
Two year old filly Treacherous Me (Captaintreacherous) raced three times in the first part of the season, winning once and finishing second in her other two starts in Group races.
“The plan is to go to Auckland with her. She’ll go to the workouts this week, then race at Addington the following Friday. Brett Gray and I worked her and Miki’s Deal together righthanded with a pacemaker at Ascot Park the other day. She handled it well. She’s a good gaited filly which will help. Providing she trials and races well that’s the plan with her.”
Meanwhile She’s Crunchy who’s (Captain Crunch) one of the finds this winter having won all three of her starts, has recently been sold and will do her future racing for Redcliffe trainer Debra Belford.
“She was sold the week prior to her win in Invercargill. She’s having a rest and is due to fly out in a couple of weeks time.”
Williamson is having a great season and is the leading UDR trainer for trainers with thirty or more wins.
by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink
